Portable aeration apparatus



Feb. 17, 1953 N. MEURER PORTABLE AERATION APPARATUS Filed Aug. 27. 1948'3 Sheets-Sheet 1 18k Brlnilp la,

d e v A777 M515 ISi Feb. 17, 1953 N. MEURER PORTABLE AERATION APPARATUS3 Sh'ets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27. 1948 INVENTR ma, uw

Feb. 17, 1953 N. MEURER PORTABLE AERATION APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Shes?I 3vFiled Aug. 27, 1948 Patented Feb. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEroafragBLE AEiaA'rIoN APPARATUS Nicolaus-Meurer, Radolfzell/Baden*Geminiani' Application August 27, 194,3, Serial NQ, 46:54.?.

t Claims., 1

vEcrtable devices are known to charge beverages which have been filledinto ybottles or the like receptacles with carbonio acid. To this endeach bottle is lowered into a protective shell orl sleeve having abottom, whereas the upper rim of the mouth of the bottle neck is forcedagainst a resilient annular insert provided at the bottom of aclosed-top, atomizing and mixing chamber coaxial with the bottle. Theapertured top oi the mixing chamber is provided with a stuffing box,through which suitably extends a carbonio acid feed pipe, the upper endof which is connected by means of a hose or pipe to a container ofpressurized carbonio acid gas. The lower end of this pipe is providedwith a gas feed nozzle cr sprayer, the small apertures oi which permitof the escape of the carbonio acid gas fed .thereto into the bottom zoneof the liquid contents of the bottle, when a valve of the carbonio acidcontainer is opened. Thereby upon each opening of the valve a portion ofthe liquid contents of the bottle is forced into the interior of themixing chamber and atomized. During these operations particles of airmechanically or chemically combined with the liquid contents areliberated and, being mixed with carbon-ic acid gas, accumulate insidethe mixing chamber near its top. There isprovided a venting or bleedervalve closed when the carbonio acid is admitted but opened for a shorttime after pressure equalization between mixing chamber and bottle', andthen closed again. rihus the mixture is allowed to escape. This1procedure is repeated several times. Upon each atomizing operationcarbonio acid from the liquid contents replaces vigorously the airescaped and combines with the atomized liquid particles entered into themixing chamber. vWhen all air has escaped from the beverage and has beenremoved by venting from the mixing chamber, and when thebeverage hasflown back completely into the bottleand the carbonic acid has escapedfrom the mixing chamber so that the pressure gauge thereof indicateszero, then the gastight connection between the mixing chamber and thebottle is interruptedl and afterthe carbonio acid feed pipe, has beenmoved upwardly and while the valve forthe carbonic acid is closed` thebottle is preliminarily closed,` then pulled out of the protectivesleeve or shell'andl replaced by another bottle to be treated. Onlyafter the removal of the bottle the treatmentof'which has just beencompleted is the preliminaryl closure replaced by a nnal one.

Using all essential parts ,and charging opera,- ticns of these knowntypes of? apparatus it has been found that the output thereof maybeincreased when the mixing chamber, which has previously 1been supportedin a stationary rela. tionship to the protective. sleeve, is now mountedfor swinging movement about a support member, which extends verticallyupwardly from a. base adapted to carrya pluralityV of openetopped, lledbottles each lowered into a protective sleeve. Where these individualbottles: are placed on the base along the arc of a circle the radius ofwhich equals the radial distance between the axis of the mixing chamberand the center of the pivotal movement of the mixing chamber about itssupport, any of the bottles placed on the base may selectively besubjected to the charging treat-A ment, whereas at the same time thebottle liquid contentsoff which has been treated just before may beclosed definitely,l then lifted out of its protective shell, andreplaced by a bottle` the liquid contents. of which is :to be. treatedthereafter.

A first object of this invention, which utilizes such a swingablemixingy chamber, is to prevent` during the swing of the mixing chamberfrom one operative position to the next the carbonio acid feedpi.pebeing supportedonly at the top of the mixing chamber,u from,swaying to and fro and from laterally moving relative to its support, aswell as from moving ecc'entri'callyto the center line of thel bottle;through the annular opening between the lower partl of*` the mixingchamber and the mouth ofv the. bottle. into the bottom zone thereof,whereby thecharging operation would be disturbed considerably.y

It is another object to; provide at the vertical support member for themixing chamber swing:-L able about said member?, means` to list. themixing chamber somewhat relative to; the support vand to transmit. theweight of the mixing chamber to the .base member ofi the carrier...

Further Qbiects Ofi the invention will be errarent from the followingdescription and. the aecompan bedr wines, anembodiment of the.diaerammatally and by Way- 0f,` example..

Figure l is e fragmentary sectional View 'taken alone lines le?! of;Fieure'Zr;

Figure 421S a plan View. Eon a `s.@mevrhat enlarged scale, of the novelapparatus;

Figure 3 isan enlarged partialdiametralsecE tion View showing one formof connection oe-- tween the mixing chamber and the neck of a bottle;

Figurea--isaan enlarged partial diametrai sec: tion-view showing;another form of' .connection l secured on base plate 8 at da, aplurality of,

e. g. in this case four, sheet metal shells It, ita and lb, which areopen at their top and bottom ends. A second metal plate 8a of similarform and dimensions but having apertures for the passage of the endportions of the shells Ii), lua and |b, is` connected to plate at aproper distance and parallel thereto, so as to form a frame togethertherewith. The top surfaces of the plates 8, 8a are covered by furtherplates |B, or |8c, which are also formed with apertures for the passageof the shells and consist of synthetic resin or ceramic materials. Thespace between the metal plates 8, 8a and the covering plates W, Ia isenclosed by a wall frame Ib of synthetic or ceramic material.

Said parts are interconnected to form a rigid and yet easily portablesupporting frame by four connecting stuts, e. g., pipe columns |8c ofsynvthetic resin or ceramic material, said columns being arranged at thecorners of said plate. A metal bolt |811, whose tapered ends arethreaded for nuts 8f or |8e, respectively, extends through each of saidpipe columns. The lower portion of each bolt |811 may also extendthrough a foot member lg, of synthetic or ceramic material, whichmember4 is held in position by a nut |81 and has a rubber insert ISIC.Said parts are held in their relative positions by the frame lSb beinginwardly bulged or recessed at the joints with the tubular pillars. lac,which fit snugly in said recesses.

The shells ,and lua serve to receive each a bottle or la containing aliquid; the shell lh serves to hold a carbonio acid container Il. Ashut-01T spindle Ha, tted with a hand Wheel Hb, has connected to it bymeans of` a pipe branch or socket I'ld and a cap nut Vic the reducingvalve with gauges 20a and 2Gb to indicate the contents of carbonio acidin said container and the outlet pressure, respectively, said reducingvalve having a handle-operable spindle 29e to control the outletpressure. The opening and shuttingoff of the carbon dioxide liowing fromthe pipe socket 20e into a supply hose 26h connected thereto is eiiectedby the actuation of a hand wheel Zild. The metal tube pillar secured tobase plate 8 at a'and supported by plate 8a at to, has therein an insertbolt 4c xedly secured thereto by a pin extending transversely of thelower or larger diametr'al portion of the bolt. The upper or reduceddiametral portion of the bolt is surrounded by a helical spring 4f,which engages the underside'oi a ring 4g slidably disposed in the tubepillar 4 and secured to the lower end of a tube 4i, said tube di beingin a sleeved relation to a bolt 4d, which has its lower end screwed intothe upper end of bolt lic and its upper end projecting through a drilledmetal stopper in serving as the closure for the upper end of tube 42'.The upper end of bolt d'has a handle lie in threaded engagementtherewith, which'handle is4 capable of bearing the'whole weight of theapparatus when it is to be transported. The cylinder ring 4g is movablepistonlike in the upper part of the pipe column. The insert part 4icontinues through an aperture in the support arm 3g of the mixingchamber, which aperture is closed by the stopper du. An ornamentaltubular pillar 4h adapted to be supported on plate la, surrounds a lowerportion of tube 41', while the upper portion thereof passes through ametal sleeve ep inserted in the hub body 3b of the mixing chamber 3.Said hub body is in an eccentric position with respect to chamber 3, itslower end finding a bearing support on a flange offset ik of insert pipedi. The upper end of sleeve ip is provided with a pair of nutsterminating it. The spring 4f relieves the weight of chamber S, whichadvantageously is made o porcelain or glass and stiifened by ribsagainst the carbon dioxide pressure to be set up inside the chamber.rfhe spring if transmitsf the load of this weight by way oi Lila, liz',4g, and 4c, to the tubular pillar i and thus to the base plate 8 and theframe parts 8a and iSd to such an extent that its spring force slightlyoutweighs the load due to the weight. Therefore, when the mixing chamber3 is not used and during the pauses of operation the bottom member 3atted into the mixing chamber will iioat a small distance above the mouthof the bottle put into protective shell coaxially with the center lineof chamber 3.

The mixing chamber 3 is connected to its hub body 3b by at least two earlug members 3g. Where the latter, as in this instance, are of U- shapedsection, it seems advisable to connect them by a vertical central rib.The chamber 3 with its bearing bush 47e, lip can be swung around tube dias a pivot, in the direction of the arrow indicated in iiigure 2. Theinner space of the chamber has longitudinally extending therethrough ina manner known a gas feed tube 5 terminated at its lower end by asprinkler foot tz' and being gastightly guided at the head portion ofthe mixing chamber by means of a stuffing box 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d and 5g, andterminated by a stopcock 6, ea, Sb, to which the carbonio acid is fedthrough a pipe branch 7, "la, 'Ib and 7d, designed as a draw handle, andthrough a quickcoupling nipple ic, which in turn is connected to thesupply hose 2th secured to the pipe branch 29e of reducing valve 20, aspring 7e pressing against the resilient member 'lh inserted into thesleeve to establish a gastight connection between the nipple 'ic and theduct 1f.

The air discharge channel 3]' oi the mixing chamber has connected to itthe screw nipple |5a of a tube I5 carrying the pressure gauge I6.Connected to the tube l5 is a faucet |5c. The spigot of said faucet isprovided with handles |51) at either end. VBy turning the spigot thecross bore thereof is moved into or out of communication with the tubeite. Said tube |5e is surrounded by a tube |5f upon which is mounted abored handle |52'. An axially bored cap screw ih, mounted upon the endof tube if, forms an annular slot |5d with the adjacent end of the boredhandle Iz Adjacent this an nular slot, the tube |51e is provided withperforations. Therefore with the bore of the faucet communicating withtube |5e, said faucet discharges the air, which is released from thebeverage into the mixing chamber head as quantities of the beverage arethrown upwards, to be mixed with carbonio acid gas through the tube |5epartially through the perforations of cover tube 15j and partiallythrough the axial aperture of the cap, tube I 5h. It is a necessarypremise, however, that the carbonio lacid tube 5 be lifted above thelevel of the liquid in the bottle.

The bottom 3a of the mixing chamber, made of porcelain or glass andrendered gastight by a suitable cement, is advantageously screwed in andcarries a sleeve body 3c secured thereto by screw bolts Br andcontaining a packing ring 3b of resilient rubber, Figure 3, and anannular member 3d, preferably made of synthetic resin. This, annularmember is mounted to revolve around the. outer periphery of sleeve 3c'and` is prevented from falling down therefrom by a metal ring 3ecovering its upper rim, said metal ring being screwed to 3d at 3s andsupported on 3c. The outer periphery ofv ring' member 3d is roughened orribbed so that it can easily be seized by hand' and turned towardschamber 3. The central bottom aperture of. the ring member has providedtherein coupling means inv theV form of female threads adapted to beengaged withsuitablel countercoupling members provided at thevoutsidesurface of the neckof the bottle, whereby .the soiling of partsof the apparatus' by dripping liquidV can be avoided almost completely.V

Wherey the coupling means haveA been provided .during the manufacture ofthe bottles in the outer surface ofA their necks, e. g.,. in the`y endportion of a bottle, which portion is provided above theknown neckreinforcement I'c, asin Figur-e' 3, Y

the gastight coupling between chamber 3 and bottle may beestablishe'dby" an engagement of theifemale threads of the ring member3d` with theK male threadsof said end portion of the bottle neck. Inthisy engagement the chamber: 3v is somewhat pulled down by aturningfofring member- 3d overcoming the opposing, force of springllf.`

However, where the neck portion ofthe bottle has no coupling membersformed thereon, as'` shown. in Figure` 3a, a gastight connectionbeptween chamber 3 and bottle I may' beA established asfollows, withreference to Figure 4 showing a;4

vertical section of abottleA closure: A cork stopper' I`I is formed`with a blind hole into which isv screwed a spindle I3a, |312', I3e,.I3d. In additionA tothe cork II the spindlefon its middlepartrk I3bcarries asleeve I Ia of soft rubber, :and above-the. neck portion I3cwhich passesthroughthe'hub of aca-p 9 of synthetic resin,v ity carriesgaspring orretaining ring I4 of spring` wireseated in an' annular grooveunderneath the spindle heady I30Z and' holding theparts II, l3nt, I3 and9 together as a` unit of construction. The cap 9 is formed with a femalethread fitting into the male thread of` anauxiliary sleeve I9, ofsynthetic resin, with a rconical borewidening from bottom to top.v Thelsmallest` inside diameter ofV the conical bore slightly exceeds the`outer diameter` of the neck4 reinforcement Ic lying underneath the endportion Ib`.. Now, beforefsleeve I9 is put over the bottleneck, avresilient` rubber ring I2 is rolled down. over the neckA portions Ib, Icandis extendedthereby in such a way that it finds a Lstop at-the lowerrim of reinforcement" Ic, sleeve I9:

following over said neck portions whereby the lower conical zonefiscaused to compress the ring. and`oppose any upward displacement ofsleevev I 9.

This displacement of sleeve,I9 in afbottle closurel as shown in Figure 4may be accomplished by a turning `of cap 9 with engagementof the femalevthread withy the` malethread of sleeveY I9 and pressing the rubber. bodyI-Ia gastightly against themouth. of thebottle.`

Accordingto another modifcatiomcap 9. with its-,associated lcomponents.-maybefomitted, while 6 the saine sleeve I9 with its ring I2 is'utilized for a gastight connection of chamber 3 and bottle I, as will beseen clearly from Figure 3a.

In order to avoid swinging and bending. of the gas feed tube 5, 5i uponpivotal swinging of mixing chamber 3 .about tube 4i', the mixing cham'-ber has provided in its interior,l immediately above the bottom member3a, a second bearing and centering member for the. gas feed tube.According to the invention this bearing member consists of a` verticallyslidable body of pure aluminum, ceramic or synthetic material, whose hub5e surrounds tube 5 as a loose fit. From the hub 5e to the innerperiphery of the`4 cover of the chamber a portion 5h,l extends',- whichis connected with ribs 5f to the hub 5e so that between any twosuccessive ribs' there is ample clearance for the: passage of quantitiesof liquid which have bee'nforced upwardly and are flowing down. Theslidability of the bearing member 5e, f, h, also permits of the bearingbody to be moved upwardly with the liquid and of its automatic return`to its initial position after an equalization of the pressure betweenthe chamber and bottle. Thus,A on the one hand the tendency of thecarbonic :acid to atomize the beverage is not hindered, while ony theother hand the viscousfoam developing inside'the chamber is turned bythe returning bearing member, whereby its reconl densation into aliquid, which. is capable of'flowing off, is facilitated.

When the feeding of gas into the liquidfiow'n back into the bottle iscompleted, the chamber is disconnected from tliebottle I and the gasfeed l pipe is pulled upwardly above the mouth ofthe bottle. Owing tothe excess power of spring' 4f the'chamber 3" is' thus liftedautomatically' by a small distance o'n' tube 4i. Now the chamber 3A maybe moved aut'o'niaticallyv in the' direction of the arrowin Figure 2 inthe left or right hand po s'ition, or the bottle, still remaining in itsprot-ec-1 tive shellr Il), may be sealed first, e. g., by means of acap' 9 to be screwed on the auxiliary socket I9 after the mixingchamberh'as been liftedl some#v what further by hand. Inrbot'hcasesthebottle is Jthen lifted from' shell" II).

Figure 5' shows diagrammatically a funnel 25,Y 25a', 25h designedaccording tof the invention to avoid the' soiling parts of the apparatuswhen the mix-ing` chamber is swung into" another? position; Figure 6shows diagrammatically in a plan View the positions of thefthreeprotective sleeves I0 and Idd, with two of said tunnels-immersed intothe mouths of the lateralbottles` I a ;'in` this case it is' assumed.that the closedV bottle' has been removed already from the frontprotective sleeve iii? and' that the funnels, whosebeaks 25h during theigas feeding operationvin thefro'nt protective sleeve IEE have beenin thepositionw shown in dotted lines, have been swung into the positionshownA in solidl linesonly because fori the time being no fu1tl1exgasfeeding.'` operation isi in"' tended.

It will be understoodthattheioperatoriis freeto eiect the aerationiofthe beveragev in the bottleeither alwaysonly in the front position ofthe bottle I, or alternatinglyin the lefti andright 'ity of theapparatus.. which according, to their u,

Contents arfe be: aeratedl. in y a predetermined:

order. Assuming that the aeration is to be effected regularly in thefront position, there will be filled bottles in the lateral sleeves Iaand the :tunnels 25 will engage the mouth of one or both of them. Then,after the removal of the treated front bottle, the left or right handbottle is lowered into the iront sleeve l connected to chamber 3 and isreplaced by another iilled bottle, into which the funnel is introducedin the position shown with dotted lines.

Before completingthe aerating operations, at the latest, the tube 5 israised by such a distance, with the cock 6, 6a still in its openposition, that the sprinkler head 5i comes to lie in the conical craterof the bottom member 3a of the mixing chamber. Thus, for a sufficientlylong period of time any rising of carbonio acid bubbles, and thedevelopment of foam above the level of the beverage, are prevented sothat after the next following discharge of air from inside the mixingchamber, by the opening of cock lib, c at atmospheric pressure, thedisconnection of parts l, 3 may be effected. It is followed. before theoutward swing lof the mixing chamber about 4i, by the swinging of thetunnels 25, 25a., b, placed in one or both of the lateral bottles la, sothat their peaks 25o come into the position shown in full lines inFigure 6. Only now is the mixing chamber swung to the left or right,whereby the collected drops get into the respective vessel and soilingof part-s of the apparatus is prevented.

claim:

1. Aeration apparatus comprising a metallic base plate, a verticalpillar mounted thereon, a second metal plate mounted in parallel spacedrelationship to the base plate for supporting said pillar, connectingstruts between said base plate and said second plate to form said baseplates into a supporting frame, a protective sleeve member verticallydisposed within said supporting frame in laterally spaced relation tosaid pillar, a bottle located within said protective sleeve, a mixingchamber member having an arm in sleeved relation to said pillar andmeans associated with said pillar constituting a bearing support forsaid arm and operable to allow horizontal swinging movement of saidchamber member, means associated with the lower end of said chambermember for establishing a gas-tight connection between said bottle andthe mixing chamber, means including a vertically movable gas feed tubepassing through the chamber and operable to introduce pressurized gasinto the bottom zone of the liquid contents of said bottle in suchmanner that a portion of the liquid in said bottle is forced into saidchamber and atomized therein, means for venting said chamber for saidaerating and atomizing operation, means allowing the liquid to flow intothe bottle from said chamber after the pressure is edualized in thebottle and chamber, a container for carbonio acid having a reducingvalve and socket connection with the gas feed tube, means associatedwith said mixing chamber enabling the raising of said gas feed tube outof the bottle during aeration, and a handle at the upper end of saidpillar adopting the apparatus to be transported as an integral unit.

2. Aeration apparatus according to claim 1 having a tubular pillar, adouble diametral insert bolt having its lower and larger diametral endfixedly secured within said pillar, a helical spring surrounding theupper end or reduced diametral portion of said bolt, a tube in jacketingrelation to the upper end of said bolt supported on said spring andforming a pivot for the hub of the arm of said chamber member, and anelongated bolt connected to said insert bolt and terminating in a handleabove said hub.

3. Aeration apparatus according to claim 1 having f-our ninety degreespaced vertically disposed compartments provided with protective linersleeves, with said bottle being' located in one compartment, thecarbonio acid container being located in the compartment diagonallyopposed thereto, and replacement bottles located in the other twocompartments, said pillar being located centrally between saidcompartments.

4. Aeration apparatus comprising a bottle, a mixing chamber memberdisposed above said bottle in alignment therewith, means associated withthe lower end of said chamber including a packing ring and ring membermounted to revolve freely about the outer circumference of said lowerend and carried by said lower end, said ring member including a bottomplate provided with a central aperture, an auxiliary sleeve lhaving aconically extending bore and coupling means at its upper end adapted tocooperate with coupling means provided in the aperture of said ringmember, said auxiliary sleeve being disposed about the mouth of saidbottle, a resilient ring adapted to engage behind the lower face of there-enforcing flange of the bottle-neck of said bottle and adapted tothereby prevent said auxiliary sleeve from being removed from saidbottle-neck during the coupling operation, whereby a gas-tightconnection between said bottle and the chamber of said chamber membermay be established, means including a vertically movable gas feed tubepassing through said chamber and operable to feed gas into the bottomzone of the liquid contents of said bottle in such manner that portionsof the liquid within the bottle are forced into the chamber and atomizedtherein, means for ventingr said chamber during said aerating andato-mizing operation, means allowing the liquid forced into said chamberto flow back into said vessel from said chamber after equalization ofpressure between the bottle and chamber, mechanically operable mountingmeans for moving said chamber away from said vessel in a horizontalswinging movement, and means for raising said gas feed tube out of saidvessel during aeration, said auxiliary sleeve being also operable topermit the gastight sealing of the bottle after its disconnection fromthe mixing chamber member, said sealing being adapted to be achievedwith a bottle head cap.

5. A portable aeration apparatus for the successive charging withcarbonio acid of the liquid contents of each of several bottlescomprising a base having a plurality of open topped protective shellstherein for the reception of the bottles, a vertical support membercarried by said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a mixing chambermember mounted for horizontal swinging movement about said supportmember and having its outlet end alignable with the mouths of saidbottles, means carried at the lower end of said chamber member to form agastight yconnection between said member and the mouth of a bottle, alvertically disposed and vertically movable gas feed tube carried by saidchamber member and extending longitudinally through said chamber member,said tube having means at its upper end to form a connection with acontainer of carbonio acid and having at its lower end a gas feed nozzleinsertable through the mouth of a `bottle whereby the attacca jbttofzoneof liquidconte'nts of' the bottle may be charged with carbonio acid,'the chamber of `said member being incommunication with the intei-iol'of the bottle during the charging operation, whereby aV portion of 'saidliquid contents may be driven upwardly into vsaid chamber and flowdownwardly therefrom upon. equalization ci the pressure within saidchamber and bottle, a bleeder valve carried by said chamber memberadapted to be opened following equalization of the pressure within saidchamber and bottle to bring said chamber into communication with theatmosphere, and movable means within said chamber in sleeved relationwith the gas feed tube `operable to prevent lateral movement of saidtube and so arranged as to allow for passage of the liquid to and fromsaid chamber.

6. `A portable aeration yapparatus for the suco'ssive charging withcarbonio acid of the liquid contents of each ci several bottlescomprising a base having a plurality of open topped protective shellstherein `for the reception ofthe botties, a vertical support membercarried by said bas and extending upwardly therefrom, a mixing chambermember mounted for horizontal swinging movement about said supportmember and having its outlet end alignable with the mouths of saidbottles, means carried at the lower' end of said cl'lamberA member toform a gastight connection between said member and the mouth of abottle, a vertically disposed and vertically movable gas feed tubecarried by said chamber member and extending longitudinally through saidchamber member, said tube having means at its upper end to form aconnectionv with a container oi carbonio acid and having at its lowerend a gas feed nozzle insertable through the mouth of a bottle wherebythe bottom zone of liquid contents of the bottle may be charged withcarbonio. acid, the chamber of said member being in communication withthe interior of the bottle during the charging operation, whereby aportion of said liquid contents may be driven upwardly into said chamberand flow downwardly therefrom upon equalization of the pressure withinsaid chamber and bottle, a bleeder valve carried by said chamber memberadapted to be opened following equalization oi the pressure within saidchamber and bottle to bring said chamber into communication with theatm-osphere, movable means within said chamber in sleeved relation withthe gas feed tube operable to prevent lateral movement of said tube andso arrangd as to allow for passage of the liquid to and from saidchamber, a cross channel located in the upper part of the mixing chambermember transversely of the mixing chamber, and a manually operablefaucet for opening and closing said channel, said channel opening to apipe leading downwardly outside the mixing chamber member, whereby when'the faucet is opened the inside of the mixing chamber may bedep-ressurized, the cle-pressurizing pipe connected to the cross channelof the mixing chamber member vforming the carrier for a handle wherebythe mixing chamber member is pivo-tally movable about its support memberinto and out of a position coaxial with any of said bottles.

7. A portable aeration apparatus for the successive charging withcarbonio acid of the liquid contents of each of several bottlescomprising a base having a plurality of open topped protective shellstherein for the reception of the bottles, a vertical support membercarried by said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a mixing cham- 10ber vmember mounted for 'horizontal swinging ymovementabout said supportmember and having its outlet end aligne-ble with the mouths 'of saidbottles, means 'carriedV at the lower end vof said chamber member toforma gas-tight connection between said member and the mouth of a.bottle, a vertically disposed and ve Jically movable gas feed tubecarried bysaid vchenrnber member and extending longitudinally throughsaid chamber member, L.said tube having means at its upper end to form aconnection with a 4container of carbonio acid and having at its lowerend a feed nozzle insertable lthrough the mouth of a bottle whereby thebottom zone of liquid contents of the bottle may be charged withcarbonio acid, thechamber of said member being in communication with theinterior of the bottle during the charging operation, whereby a portionof said liquid contents may be driven upwardly into said chamber andflow downwardly therefrom upon equalization of the pressure within saidchamber and bottle, a bleeder valve carried by said chamber memberadapted to be opened 'following equalization of the pressure within saidchamber and bottle to bring said chamber into communication withV rtheatmosphere, movable means within said chamber in sleeved relation withthe gas feed tube operable to prevent lateral movement of said tube andso arranged as' to allow for passage of the liquid to and from saidchamber, a cross channel located in the upper part ofthe mixing chambermember transversely of the mixing chamber, and a manually operablefaucet for opening and closing said channel, said channel opening to apipe leading downwardly outside the 'mixing chamber mem-ber, wherebywhen the faucet is opened the inside of the mixing chamber member 4maybe depressurized, the depressurizing pipe connected to the cross channelof the mixing chamber member Vforming the carrier for a handle wherebyvthe mixing chamber member is pivotally movable about its support memberinto and out of a position coaxial with any of said bottles, the supportmember carried by the base being provided with means to equalizeapproximately the weight of the mixing chamber member and transmit saidweight to the base, which means is operable to slightly lift the mixingchamber member automatically on the support member when the mixingchamber member, after the gas-tight connection with a bottle has beenbroken, is to be swung around said support member.

8. A portable aeration apparatus for the successive charging withcarbonio acid of the liquid contents of each of several bottlescomprising a. base having -a plurality of open topped protective shellstherein for the reception of the bottles, a vertical support membercarried by said base and extending upwardly therefrom, a

chamber member mounted for horizontal swinging movement about saidsupport member and having its outlet end alignable with the mouths oisaid bottles, means carried at the lower end of said chamber member toform a gas-tight connection between said member and the mouth of abottle, a verticallyL disposed and vertically movable gas feed tubecarried by said chamber member and extending longitudinally through saidchamber member, said tube having means at its upper end to form aconnection with a container of carbonio acid and having at its lower enda gas feed nozzle insertable through the mouth oi a bottle whereby thebottom zone of the liquid contents of the bottle may be 4charged withcarbonic acid, the chamber of said member beingA in communication withthe interior of the bottle during the charging operation, whereby aportion of said liquid contents may be driven upwardlyinto said chamberand flow downwardly therefrom upon equalization of the pressure withinsaid chamber and bottle, a bleeder valve carried by said chamber memberadapted to be opened following equalization of the pressure within saidchamber and bottle to bring said chamber into communication with theatmosphere, movable means within vsaid chamber in sleeved relation withthe gas feed tube operable to prevent lateral movement of said tube andso arranged as to allow for passage of the liquid to and from saidchamber, =a cross channel located in the upper part of the mixingchamber member transversely of the mixing chamber, and a manuallyoperable faucet for opening and closing said channel, said channelopening to -a pipe leading downwardly7 outside the mixing chambermember, whereby when the faucet is opened the inside of the mixingchamber member may be depressurized, the depressurizing pipe connectedto the cross channel of the mixing chamber member forming the carrlerfor a handle whereby the mixing chamber member is pivotally movableabout its support member into and out of a position coaxial with any ofsaid bottles, the support member carried by the base being provided withmeans to equalize approximately the weight of the mixing chamber memberand transmit said weight to the base, which means is operable toslightly lift the mixing chamber member automatically on the supportmember when the mixing chamber member, after the gas-tight connectionwith a bottle h-as been broken, is to be swung around said supportmember, said support member comprising a vertical pipe column providedabove its lower end with a bearing sleeve, said pipe column beingprovided with a double diametral insert bolt, the lower, largerdiametral end of which is se- 12 cured to the pipe column and forms thecarrier for a helical spring surrounding the upper reduced diametralportion of said insert bolt, as well as foran insert pipe which isplaced above the spring and which may be moved up and down in sleevedrelation to said insert bolt, the lower end of said insert pipe having acylinder ring rmly secured thereto movable piston-like in the upper`section of the pipe column, said spring being in engagement with saidring and tending to move the same slightly upwards with its pipe, withsaid insert pipe, which surrounds the reduced diametral upper end of theinsert bolt, continuing through a drilled opening in a supportarm forthe mixing chamber member, the lower end of which support arm rests on ailange offset of the insert pipe forming a support for the mixingchamber member, said drilled opening being closed at its upper end bymeans of ya drilled stopper, through a drilled opening of which stopperpasses the insert bolt, and a handle screwed into the upper end of theinsert bolt adapted to carry the full load of the apparatus when theapparatus is to be moved by hand.

NICOLAUS MEURER.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

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